Engine starting mechanism



April 2, 1935. K. R. BEYMER ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 6, 1930 f.. /6 2 y n w 4 Y J a m 4 P w M- 6 2 I i 2 7 7 m M 5 j Z w6 2 w? m p Y W r 3 H 9 34; 22 M Patented Apr. 2, 1935 j PATENT OFF-ICE 1,996,667 ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Kenneth R. Beymer, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange. N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 6, 1930, Serial No. 418,967 Renewed September 10, 1934 22 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactored and used by or for the Government for governmentalpurposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a starter of the inertia type.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an engine starter, of the type embodying a high speed flywheel, which is compact and symmetrical in form and one which is inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel inertia starter which is particularly adapted for use in starting outboard motors of the type now extensively employed on small boats.

Another object is to provide a novel inertia starter which is so constituted that the inertia member is adapted to rotate with the engine during the normal operation of the latter.

A further object is to provide an inertia starter embodying novel clutch means for operatively connecting the flywheel with the engine member to be rotated, whereby the energy stored in the flywheel may be imparted to said engine member at the desired time and in an amount such that damage to the starter elements is avoided.

The above and other objects will appear more fully hereafter in the detailed description of the invention, one embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for purposes of illustration only and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is an axial section of a starter embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed view, on a reduced scale, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

The embodiment of the present invention disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises in general, an inertia starting mechanism for an internal combustion engine wherein the inertia member and the means for actuating and storing energy therein are mounted upon'a member of the engine to be started, which member rotatesduring the normal operation of the engine and carries with it as a unit the inertia starting mechanism. shown, the engine includes a member 4 which may be-in the form of a flywheel and which is rigidly secured by any suitable means to a shaft 5 that may be the crankshaft of the engine or an extension thereof. Threaded into the end of shaft 5, as at 6, is a stub shaft 1 which 5 is adapted to rotatably support certain elements of the starting mechanism. Stub shaft 1 is provided with a suitable collar 8 adaptedrto retain flywheel 4 in its proper position on shaft 5 and to limit axial movement of a portion of the start- 10 ing mechanism later to be described.

The starting mechanism disclosed herein includes an inertia member or fly wheel 9, means for actuating said inertia member including a gear train and a rotatable casing l0, and-a brake ll adapted to be applied to one element of the actuating means. I

The inertia member or flywheel 9 is rotatably supported on stub shaft 1 by any suitable means as a roller :bearing l2, and together with the rollers is held against axial movement by collar- 8. The hub of inertia member 9 is extended downwardly and formed as a pinion l3 which meshes with *a plurality of gears l4. Two-diametrically disposed gears H are shown in the present embodiment, but it will be understood that applicants invention is not to be limited to this arrangement. Gears l4 are rotatably supported on studs l5 which are rigidly mounted on engine member 4, and each of said gears has rigidly attached thereto, in any suitable manner,

a coaxial pinion l6 which meshes with gear l'l rotatably supported on astud l8 carried by gngine member 4, the gears I1 being diametrically V disposed with respect to shaft 5, l.

Surrounding and surmounting the above described inertia member and gear train, and also enclosing a portion of the engine member 4, ii! desired, is the rotatable casing Ill. The latter is freely rotatable on stub shaft 1, being held there- 40 on by any suitable means such as a nut l9, and carries an internal gear 20 which is so positioned as to mesh with gears I! of the gear train. A suitable actuating handle 2| is secured to casing ID to facilitate manual rotation of the same, but as will be understood by those skilled in the art, .power means may be employedfor rotating the casing, if desired. It will be seen that the inertia member or flywheel 9 may be rotated at high speed through the step-up gear train described, by actuating handle 2!, and-the energy thus stored in the flywheel is adapted for use in starting the engine.

Novel means are provided for applying the kinetic energy stored in the rapidly rotating inertia member to a member of the engine, to thereby crank and start said engine. In the form shown, said means comprises the brake I I which surrounds casing I and is 'held in operative position by suitable supporting means, including a stationary rod, a portion of the latter being shown at 23. Brake I I is constituted by a stationary friction band 24 mounted intermediate its ends on.- rod 23. Pivotally connected levers 25 are attached to the free ends of band 24 and are adapted to be manually actuated to apply the band to casing I 0. A spring 26, interposed between the free ends of levers 25, may be provided to normal- 1y hold the brake band in expanded or non-engaging position. If desired, upper and lower ribs 21 may be provided on the outer surface of casing II) to prevent axial movement of band 24 when the latter is engaged with said casing. When the brake is in its normal, released position casing II) turns freely therewithin.

It will thus be seen that after spinning up inertia member 9 as above described, if handle 2| is released and brake I I-applied, the rotation of casing 9 and its internal gear 2| will be stopped or retarded, and since the inertia member 9 is rotating at ahigh rate of speed and possesses great kinetic energy, gears I4, and in turn pinion I 6' and gears II, will continue to be driven by the inertia member and will transfer the reaction, due to gear 20 being stationary, to studs I and I8 thereby rotating said studs, engine member 4, and crankshaft 5, 1 to crank the engine. When the engine starts under its own power, brake II is released by the operator.

After the engine has started, it is desirable that the starting mechanism rotate with the engine member as a unit in order to insure smooth running and to reduce wear and friction. For this purpose, the upper extremities of studs I5 are provided with centrifugal pawls 28'which are rotatably mounted thereon, and adapted to engage depressions 29 formed in the inner periphery of inertia member 9. These pawls are normally held in disengaged position by suitable resilient means such as springs 30, but when the engine starts under its own power and attains a predetermined speed, pawls 28 fly out under centrifugal force and engage depressions 29, thus forming a driving connection between the engine member 4 and the starter inertia member 9 whereby the inertia starting mechanism is held against independent rotation and revolves with the engine member 4 as a unit.

There is thus provided a novel engine starter of the inertia type which is compact and rugged in structure, cheap to manufacture, and easy to operate. It is particularly well adapted for use with small engines of the outboard type because of its compactness and ease of operation, and because, due to the novel principle of operation used and the arrangement of the elements, it forms a self-contained unit which can be easily attached to any engine, and after attachment will serve the double function of starter and engine flywheel. The construction of the starter provided by' this invention involves no complicated clutching means or means for moving gears in and out of mesh, and the starting operation is entirely under control of the operator.

It will be obvious that the invention is not limited to the specific form or use described and illustrated in the drawing, but is capable of a variety of mechanical embodiments and uses.

v For example, any suitable arrangement of gears may be substituted for the specific gear train shown and described, and other braking means may be employed in place of the present brake band. Also, this starter may be used on-internal combustion engines other than those of the outboard type. Various changes, which will now occur to those skilled in the art, may be made in the form, details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In starting apparatus, a shaft to be rotated, an inertia member mounted for rotation on said shaft, 2. gear train operatively connected to said inertia member and shaft, said gear train including a member surrounding the inertia member, means for rotating said surrounding member whereby the inertia member is rotated at high speed to' store energy therein, and means for holding said surrounding memberagainst rotation whereby movement is imparted from the inertia-member to the shaft to be rotated.

2. In an engine starter, a rotatable engine member, a flywheel mounted for rotation on said member, planetary gears carried on individual shafts disposed within said flywheel and connecting with said member and operatively connected to the flywheel, an internal gear member surrounding the flywheel and operatively connected to the planetary gears, means for rotating said internal gear member to store energy in the flywheel, and friction means for holding the internal gear member against rotation whereby the flywheel is adapted to impart a planetary movement to the planetary gears, relative to said internalgear member, and a rotary movement to the engine member.

3. In an engine starter, a crankshaft, gears mounted on the crankshaft, a flywheel mounted for free rotation on the crankshaft, a housing enclosing said flywheel and mounted for rotation on the crankshaft, an internal gear carried by the housing and having engagement with the gears carried by the crankshaft, means for retating the housing whereby energy is stored in the flywheel, and means for holding the housing against rotation whereby a planetary movement is imparted to the gears carried by the crankshaft and the latter is rotated.

4. In an engine starter, a rotatable engine member, an inertia member mounted for rotation on said engine member, means including a gear train for rotating said inertia member and storing energy therein, means for holding one member of said gear train from rotation during the starting operation, and means utilizing the reaction due to the holding action of said last named means for transmitting the energy of said inertia member to the engine member, said held member of the gear train being rotated during the energy storing operation.

5. In combination, an engine shaft, an inertia member mounted for rotation on said shaft, means including a gear train for rotating said inertia member and storing energy therein, friction means for holding one member of said gear train from rotation, and means for transmitting the resultant reacting force derived from the inertia member to the shaft for rotating the same.

6. An engine starter comprising a flywheel, an inertia member mounted for rotation on said flywheehmeans including a gear train for rotating said inertia member relatively to said flywheel in the flywheel to transfer and forstoring energy therein, a friction brake adapted to hold one member of said gear train against rotation at the will of the operator, means for converting the resulting reaction into rotation of the engine flywheel, and centrifugal means effective upon the starting of the engine for positively connecting said engine flywheel and the inertia member whereby said members rotate as a unit.

'7. In combination with the crankshaft of an engine, a flywheel mounted for rotation on said crankshaft, a train of, reduction gearing drivably connecting the flywheel and shaft, means for rotating said'flywheel through said gear train to store energy therein, and manually operable friction means for holding one of the elements of the gear train after energy has been stored the energy of the flywheel to the shaft.

8. In combination, an engine shaft, a flywheel mounted for rotation on said shaft, means including a gear train for rotating said flywheel to store engine starting energy therein, a manually operable friction brake for stopping the 'rotation of one member of the gear train, and means for transmitting the energy of the flywheel through said gearing to said shaft to rotate the latter.

9. In a starter for outboard motors of the type embodying a substantially vertical crankshaft, a flywheel mounted for rotation on said shaft, means including a rotatable housing enclosing said flywheel for connecting the latter with said crankshaft, and means for holding said housing against rotation.

10. In starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, the combination with the flywheel of one or more centrifugally actuated members adapted to form a positive driving connection between the engine and flywheel after the engine starts under its own power, and releasable friction means controlling the effectiveness of said positive driving connection.

11. In a starter for anintemal combustion engine, the combination with a rotatable member of the engine to be started? of a wheel in which energy mitting energy from the flywheel to the engine member to crank the engine, said means including a housing surrounding the flywheel and means for locking said housing to the engine member for rotation in unison therewith during the normal operation of the engine, and releasable friction means controlling the effectiveness of said locking means.

12. In a starter for an internal combustion engine, an engine member to be rotated, a flywheel in which energy is stored for rotating the engine member, means for operatively connecting said flywheel and engine member, including a housing surrounding the flywheel, friction means releasable to permit rotation of said housing during the energy storing operation, and centrifugally actuated means for forming a positive driving connection between the engine member and.fl$"- wheel to cause the latter to rotate in unison with the engine member during the normal running of the latter.

. 13. In combination with a rotatable member of an internal combustion engine, starting mechanism including a high speed flywheel and reduction gearing'for transmitting energy stored in the flywheel to the rotatable member, mounted on the rotatable member and means for holding the individual elements of said gearing against relainertiameans, and a manually is adapted to be stored, means for transtive rotation and causing said gear elements to rotate with said engine member during normal operation of the engine, and friction means releasable to control the operation of said gearing elements.

14. In an engine starter, a rotatable engine member,'means for imparting an initial rotation thereto comprising'a plurality of planetary gears,

an internal gear member operatively connected to said planetary gears, means for rotating said internal gear member to effect an accumulation of energy suflicient to crank the engine upon transfer of said energy to said engine member, and friction means for holding the internal gear member against rotation so as to impart a planetary movement to the planetary gears, relative to said internal gear, and a rotary movement to said engine member.

15. In a starter gine, the combination with a rotatable member of the engine to be started, of inertia means adapted to be rotated to accumulate therein sufllcient energy to impart initial rotation to said engine member, said inertia means including a gear train and a cranking member connected to the low speed stage of said gear train, said cranking member being rotatable at relatively low speed to produce relatively high speed of rotation of said operable friction brake for stopping therotation of one member for an internal combustion enofsaid gear train, theapplication of said friction brake serving to cause transmission of the energy stored in the inertia means to said engine member to rotate the latter and thereby eiIect a starting of the engine under its own power.

16. In a starter for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a rotatable member of the engine to be started of inertia means adapted to be rotated to accumulate therein sufflcient energy to impart initial rotation to said engine, said inertia means including a flywheel, a gear train for rotating said flywheel, and a cranking member connected to the low speed stage of said gear train, said cranking member being rotatable at relatively low speed to produce relatively high speed of rotation of said inertia means, and a manually operable friction brake for stopping the rotation of one member of said gear train, the application of said friction brake serving to cause transmission of the energy stored in the inertia means to said engine member to rotate the latter and thereby effect starting of the engine under its own power. 1

17. In combination with an engine shaft, inertia means adapted to be connected to said engine shaft, means for rotating said inertia means to store engine starting energy therein, said means comprising a manually operable hollow cylindrical casing enclosing said inertia means and gearing interposed between said casing and inertia means, and friction means engageable with said gearing for stopping the rotation of a portion of said gearing, the application of said friction means to said gearing serving to cause transmission of the energy stored in said inertia means to said engine shaft to rotate the latter and theretion to cause transfer of the energy stored in said inertia means to said engine.

19. In combination with a crankshaft of an engine, inertia means adapted to drive said crankshaft, means for drivably connecting said inertia means with said crankshaft, means for rotating said inertia means to store energy therein, said means comprising a hollow cylindrical casing enclosing said inertia means and a gear connection between said casing and inertia means, and

manually operable friction means engageable therewith, after energy has been stored in said inertia means, to transfer said energy to said crankshaft.

20. An engine starter comprising inertia means, means including an internally toothed gear for accelerating said inertia means to store energy therein, a friction brake adapted to hold said gear against rotation at the will of the operator, and means for converting the resulting reaction into rotation of the engine to be started, said last named means being ineffective to transmit torque to said engine prior to application of said friction brake.

21. In starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, means including a flywheelin which energy may be stored, said flywheel having a recessed portion proximate to its periphery, means including a centrifugally actuated engine driven pawl engageable with said recessed portion to lock said flywheel to said engine to cause rotation of both as a unit after the engine starts under its own power, and friction means releasable to control the effectiveness of said locking means.

22. In starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, means including a flywheel in which energy may be stored, said flywheel having a recessed portion proximate to its periphery, a gear train for drivably connecting said flywheel with said engine member, a centrifugally actuated engine driven pawl engageable with said recessed portion to lock said flywheel to said engine to cause rotation as a unit therewith after the en gine starts under its own power, a manually rotatable cylindrical casing enclosing said flywheel for storing energy in the latter through rotation of the gear train, and friction means engaging said casing to control the operation of said gear train.

KENNETH R. BEYMER. 

